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Rugby League is a popular Team Sport in Papua New Guinea , and indeed is generally regarded as the National Sport . Papua New Guinean rugby league has been hampered by the poor infrastructure in the country, and national competitions have proven difficult to sustain. Violence at large games has also become something of a problem, and the major Test nations have tended to be reluctant to tour Papua New Guinea due to safety concerns. Nonetheless rugby league remains the dominant sport, and is played across the nation, with competitions in major cities and rural regions alike. HISTORY The game was first introduced to Papua New Guinea by Australia n soldiers stationed there during and after the Second World War . It spread quickly, and is now regarded as the country’s national sport. The governing body for rugby league in Papua New Guinea became members of the Rugby League International Federation in 1974 and the national team's first ever Test match was a 40-12 home defeat by Great Britain a year later. They first competed in the Rugby League World Cup in the 1985-89 competition. The domestic ''SP Cup'' was first held in 1990. Papua New Guinea was represented by Port Moresby Vipers in the Queensland Cup competition in 1996 and 1997 . No SP Cup was held in 2004 due to funding problems, but the competition returned in 2005. POPULARITY Rugby league is the most popular sport in Papua New Guinea (especially in the Highlands region) and is commonly referred to as the National Sport . In a nation where communities are far apart and many people live at a minimal subsistence level, rugby league has been described as a replacement for tribal warfare as a way of explaining the local enthusiasm for the game (a matter of life and death). The annual Australian State Of Origin matches are the most watched sporting event of the year. Australian rugby league players who have played in the annual (Australian) State Of Origin clash, which is celebrated feverishly every year in Papua New Guinea, are among the most well known identities throughout the nation. NOTABLE PLAYERS Many Papua New Guineans have gone on to play professional rugby league either in the National Rugby League in Australia or Super League in Europe.
GOVERNING BODY The governing body for rugby league in Papua New Guinea is based in Port Moresby . They have been members of the Rugby League International Federation since 1974. The League has suffered financially due to member leagues not paying affiliation fees. COMPETITIONS The national competition is known as the ''SP Cup'', and has been held since 1990. No competition was held in 2004 due to funding problems, but the competition returned for 2005. Teams compete in a league format, with the top 4 clubs at the end of the rounds entering play-offs, culminating in a Grand Final . Below the SP Cup exist many local and provincial competitions, the most prestigious of which is the Port Moresby League. PNGNRL 2005 saw the re-integration of the new look PNGNRL, formerly known as the SP Inter-City Cup. The competition is made up of nine teams from various cities or provinces around Papua New Guinea all playing for the SP Cup. The competition follows the conventional Australian NRL format, with 26 round robin games followed by the top 4 teams entering the finals playoffs. The current competition is made up of the following teams: Island 'Agmark' Gurias Home Ground: Kalabond Field, Kokopo Mendi Muruks Home Ground: Madang Lae Bombers Home Ground: Lae '''Toyota Mt Hagen Cowboys Home Ground: Mt. Hagen Show Ground, Mt Hagen Goroka Lahanis Home Ground: Sir Danny Leahy Oval, Goroka Central Province Raiders Home Gound: Lloyd Robson Oval, Port Moresby Port Moresby Bulldogs Home Ground: Lloyd Robson Oval, Port Moresby Pagini Warriors Home Ground: Lae Other teams to have participated but who have since been relegated are South Port Moresby Broncos (2005) and Simbu Angrass (2005). HISTORY OF SP CUP PREMIERS 1990 Port Moresby Vipers def. MT Hagen 1991 Port Moresby Vipers def. MT Hagen 1992 Port Moresby Vipers def. MT Hagen 1993 Goroka Lahinis def. Port Moresby Vipers 1994 Port Moresby Vipers def. Goroka Lahinis 1995 Lae Bombers def. Mendi Muruks 1996 Mendi Muruks def. Kuniawa Warriors 1997 MT Hagen Eagles def. Lae Bombers 1998 MT Hagen Eagles def. Mendi Muruks 1999 Goroka Lahinis def. Island Rabaul Gurias 2000 Enga Mioks def. Island Rabaul Gurias 2001 Island Rabaul Gurias def. Goroka Lahinis 2002 Lae Bombers def. Island Rabaul Gurias 2003 Island Rabaul Guirias def. Lae Bombers 2004 Mendi Menjals1 def. Popondetta Butterflies 2005 Island Gurias def. Port Moresby Bulldogs 2006 Mendi Muruks def. Goroka Lahanis 1 The official SP Inter City Cup did not take place in 2004 due to lack of finance, however, the equivalent competition was the inaugural Coca-Cola Ipatas Cup. OTHER COMPETITIONS A Port Moresby team competed in the Panasonic Cup in 1986 , 1987 , 1988 and 1989 ; and in the Queensland Cup in 1996 and 1997. THE NATIONAL TEAM See Also: Papua New Guinea national rugby league team The Papua New Guinea national rugby league team are nicknamed ''Kumuls'' after the Bird Of Paradise , a national symbol of the country. Their first ever Test match was a 40-12 home defeat by Great Britain in 1975. They compete in the Rugby League World Cup and first entered a team in the 1985-89 Competition , though it was not until the 1995 Rugby League World Cup that they were able to win away from home. The Papua New Guinea National Rugby League Team usually play against the Australian National Rugby League Team each year in Port Moresby . It is such a popular fixture that thousands of people can't get into the ground once it's full, causing people to climb onto the stadium roof or up trees outside the ground in order to see the match. The limited capacity of the stadium for this fixture often sparks riots. Spectators clashed with riot police during this fixture in 2006. SEE ALSO |
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